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Allen Bacher announces run for Summit County commissioner

Republican Allen Bacher has announced his run for Summit County commissioner in District 1, which covers Breckenridge.
Courtesy Allen Bacher

FRISCO — If elected as county commissioner, Allen Bacher has many plans for Summit County.

Bacher, a semi-retired adjunct professor at Colorado Mountain College and member of the Summit Chamber of Commerce, is running as a republican for the District 1 seat, which covers Breckenridge. He said he bought his first plot of land in Summit County in 1991 and has spent 10 years of his 40-year career as a professor at CMC.

This is Bacher’s second time running for county commissioner. In 2014, he lost to Dan Gibbs. His opponent this time is Commissioner Elisabeth Lawrence, who stepped in after Gibbs resigned from the position to serve as the executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources in 2019.



Bacher said he is running for commissioner to be an alternative to the “liberal, progressive, socialist” trend in Colorado.

“I am a capitalist, Christian, conservative, constitutional libertarian-leaning veteran,” he said.



Many of Bacher’s goals for his term involve reducing the role of the county government in the daily lives of citizens. His experience as a businessman and economics professor will fuel his decision-making, he said.

If elected, Bacher said he will only serve one term because he believes in Thomas Jefferson’s philosophy of “come, serve and go home.”

He will also donate 50% of his salary as commissioner to nonprofits and scholarships for local students. A total of 20% of the salary will be donated to Domus Pacis Family Respite, Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center, High Country Conservation Center and the Summit Chamber of Commerce, with an equal amount going to each. Another 20% will go towards need-based scholarship grants for CMC students in Summit County who are pursuing business studies. The other 10% will go towards need assistance programs, Veteran support programs and whatever may arise throughout his term.

“I object to any and all politicians making a career out of living out of the citizen’s pockets, especially the taxpayers,” he said.

Bacher plans to reduce the tax burden on Summit County property owners and the size of the county government by 20%.

“Having come from the private sector, I know how to look at budgets and how to find the wastes in them and efficiencies,” he said.

He also plans to revise building codes to promote private residences and allow property owners to have lock-off options.

“Right now, too often people go to build up here and the rules and regulations prevent them from having a lock-off option which would provide additional housing for people,” he said.

Under his plans, major employers would be required to provide housing for their employees. He also would like to secure land for a partnership development that will provide housing for 500 to 1,000 seasonal workers.

Finally, he plans to eliminate the food sales tax in grocery stores for permanent residents of Summit County.

“The people who represent the lowest fifth of wage earners are spending a disproportionate amount of their income on food and housing,” he said. “I don’t believe the county, state or any other entity should be placing tax on food.”

When it comes to moving the county through the novel coronavirus pandemic, Bacher believes the county should reopen.

“I think the shutdowns have been a gross over-response to an issue,” he said.

Summit County commissioner candidates

Democrats Thomas Davidson, District 2, and Karn Stiegelmeier, District 3, are term limited.

District 1: Breckenridge

District 2: Dillon and Frisco

District 3: Silverthorne

View Summit County district maps here.


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